Bud' I like word, I really do... cept the spelling thing is my protest against one of our "founding fathers", Ben Franklen, whom turned an even more confusing language into something that just doesnt make any sense. What is with the silent letters and why, oh why, did latin and greek have to influence the way we write today?

I keep thinking back to an old SNL episode featuring Kevin Nealon where letters of the alphabet were combined to form new sounds. I liked that idea even better.

but h3y/ 1f u \/\/4nt b3tt3r sp3ll1ng 0ut 0f m3, th3n m3 try 4 l1l h4rd3r mk4y?

Yah your right, I normally dont curse, sorry about that. I'll bite my tongue a little harder next time to make things more tolerable for you

As for being a musician, newp! You were right, I'm not one. However my sister whos name will be spared from the public eye, is an acomplished musician. My mother could have been but doesnt have the desire to persue it any further then just being a personal interest. My brother and I are fairly talented but sadly pale in comparison.

As for paying to listen to music, even to preview it... no. I will admit that almost any given form of communication does cost us something. For example.
Radio: Purchased the peice of equipment, paid for the electricity (or batteries)
Letter: Purchased paper and stamps.
Email: Purchased computer and internet connection.
Book: Purchased book, paper, type writer or library card. (or coffee for the friend who is letting you barrow it )
Talking: Purchased cloths which allow you to speak with your friends face to face (to avoid the embarassment for all parties involved)
Phone: Purchased telephone account and phone.

I mean really, the only free way to communicate with someone else is to make your own axe out of a branch, stripped bark and a sharp stone. Then use this fashioned axe to cut down a tree, then cut it into peices small enough to rub together and start a fire. Then herd some sheep to make wool for a blanket and then use the blanket over the fire to create smoke signals and just hope to god its intended audience is looking in the right direction otherwise the months you spent to do this in the first place has all been for not.

And are we really taking money out of the musicians pocket or is it from the label companies pocket since they prepay the projected album sales to the band?
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Hey, heres another one for you.

How long do you think it will be before Hollywood creates some craptastic multi-million dollar movie based on 9/11 like they have for the Titanic?
a) less then 10 years
more then 10 years
c) 20 years
d) 80 years
or
e) its a good question but why are you even talking about it?
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Ah one final thought. I was awakend by my mother with a phone call telling me to turn on the television. Without asking why I immediately walked over to the television and turned it on just as the second plane hit. I was horrified. Absolutely horrified. I wasnt even sure about what I was seeing but knew it was something serious because in the clip you can hear a guy cursing s*** (that was for you bud) over and over and over and over... you get the idea as I am sure most of you saw it too.

That following week a patriotic campaign ensued accross our nation and people were flying their flags, just I was, in the front of their houses and putting up signs & stickers on their windows. I believe the first one was, God Bless America. A popular saying as taught to us by historians whom lied to literal millions by saying our country was founded on Christianity when the truth of it is that the pilgrams didnt leave Brittan because they were persecuting Christianity. They left to seek freedom from Brittish rule. Almost all of them would shatter the ten commandments at any given time because of their life style. Two of our founding fathers were not Christians and led their lives as such, publicly. But I digress.That was the first one I remember seeing.

I went to see a movie a few days later with my children, just as we sat down we were bombarded with propaganda to love America... thats when I became disgusted. And theeeeeeen all the other adds and signs came out. In God We Trust, United We Stand & etc. I'll admit it, I went down to the Red Cross and donated blood, a few blankets and $40 to the victems later that day. I think in some respects, that was the best patriotic day our country has seen from its residents since the 1950's. We were doing something we should of been doing anyway, loving our country and its citizens. But come on?! I drove through the neighborhoods looking at all the houses with American flags out front. There were some even on the houses that I knew were occupied by Muslems or people from Iraq because I worked with them at a local grocery store or had seen them around. Knowing they were hurt, they felt the loss and were suffering with us reminded me of what this country was really about. I drive a few more blocks and arrive to my house, the beautiful American flag waving in the air just the way it did when my Grandfather first flew it in the 60's for Vietnam and so forth. That really made me smile because for the first time, I really felt like an American, I felt like this was something I wanted to be a part of.

A week had passed. We were bombarded with patriotism in every form of media possible. American commercialism at its best. If theres a dollar to be made then dammit... its gonna get taken from your pocket sooner or later. I walked out to get the morning paper and was horrified again! But this time it was because of my neighbors whom didnt hang just one flag. They had twenty three! Twenty-three flags scatterd about their yard, trying to wave in the wind but couldnt because they were so soaked by the water sprinkers and ultimately became dirty, coverd in mud.... tatterd from the abuse and neglect. They were left out there day after day, in the rain. I even watched a few birds do their buisness on some but the guy take the flag down and try to clean it? No. Did he at least respect the flags and put them away at night? No. Did he live in a trailor with a woman he called his wife but it wasnt believeable because she was so butch she could of passed for a man if just took a quick glance? Yes. Did she have stickers on her car that said, I like Bush, while driving around looking more manly then most of the men I know? Yes. But anyway, there they were. Day after day. I just had to go out and get my flag down. Salute it and put it away for the shame I felt from just being their neighbor.

Did any of you have people like this in your neighborhood?

Lets talk about it... or lets wait for me to open my mouth next time and talk about something else. Thank you for reading!

P.S. I'll use MS Word next time. lol